Adjustable supporting member.



M. H. SPIELMAN. ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTING MEMBER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18, SHE- Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

specific vobjects supporting UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILTON H. SPIELMAN, CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE DOMESTIC ELECTRICAL COMPANY,

OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHTO ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTING MEMBER,

Specification 01' Letters Patent.

Application filed December 1a, 1916. Serial No. 187,511.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knpwn that I, MILToN H. SrinLMAN', a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Adjustable Sup porting Members, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying draw- This invention relates particularly to means for adjusting the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner by raisini and lowering the same with relation to t e surface operated upon. It is common practice in the manufacture of vacuum cleaners to provide separated axially alined sup orting rollers or wheels adjacent the nozz e of the suction cleaner, and rovide one or more supporting wheels positioned rearwardly of the nozzle and its wheels. In order to raise and lower the spout with relation to the carpet or the rug, means are provided for relatively adjusting the height of the axis of the rear or front wheels.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple effective means for adjusting the axisof one of thesupports for such a device, which shall be 'ositive in its operation and which may be c eaply manufactured. More are to make the adjusting device quickly and easily operable to secure thedesired adjustment, and to S0 construct the same that it-may be very securely held in any position given it with relation to the device supported.

The above and other ob'ects will become apparent in thefollowing escription which. refers to the drawings. The essential characteristics of my invention are summarized in the claims.

Referring side elevatwn of a suction cleaner illustrating the application of my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the adjusting device the same; l ig. 4 is a vertical one pi me just inside of section taken to the drawings, Figure 1 is a Fig. 3 is an edge elevation of the parts comprising my adjusting device and looking outwardly; Fig. 5 is a vertical axial sectio taken on. the plane indicated by the 5-5jof Fig. 2.

Designatm the parts by reference characters, A in icates the motor housing, B

the fan chamber, 0 the intake nozzle and l) a the discharge spout of a suction cleaner which may be of any t *pe. E indicates the usual bail for the hen 1e F, the bail being shown as pivoted at opposite sides of the motor housing, and at G is indicated the usual dust bag. The nozzle 0, fan casing B and dischar e' spout D are usually so connected. toget or as to form a rigid frame which is supported adjacent the intake nozzle on axially separated wheels H, mounted Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

on an axle member K suitably connected to j the cleaner frame. Rearwardly of the wheels H and preferably positioned to run between the paths of the wheels H is a wheel 10. This wheel may be mounted on a caster support or rigidly held, as desired. To raise and lower the intake nozzle with relation to the surface operated upon (indicated by the line L) it is customary to provide nieansfor vertically adjusting the axis of thevwheels H or the wheel 10.

' My invention is cone mechanism for raising an lowering the rear ort-ion of the frame of the cleaner by actmg upon the supporting member connecting the wheel 10 with the frame.

The particular method for accoin lishing this adjustment and shown as embodying m invention will now be described. The wheel 10 has its bearing pin 11 carriedii'u a bifurcated end of a downwardly extending arm 12, the arm 12 shown as comprising a straight flat strip 13 and a similar strip 14 extending downwardly at theolltcr and innor side of the Wheel res ectively, this strip 14 extending across and eing secured tothe strip 11 extending upwardly to a pivot screw 15 rigid in a laterally extending boss 20 preferably formed integral with the discharge spout D. The arm 12 embraces a cylindrical shoulder 16 on the screw in rned with novel which is slightly enlarged over the shank of the screw,and a suitable head 18 is formed on the screw provides a shoulder, preventing outward movement of the arm with relation to the screw.

An operating disk 25 is shown as having a hub 26 embracing a bearii'ig 27 of a stud having a shank 28 threaded into the boss 20. The stud 28 is shown as having an enlarged shoulder at 29 form an abutment for the-hub 26 while a screw 30, threaded into the outer end of the stud, serves to hold the disk in position, while permitting its rotation.

The disk 25 is shown as having a curved slot 35 extending from a point adjacent its central pivot and terminating adjacent the peripher of the disk, providing a double cam sur ace, preferably gradua ly sloping at all points. At the end of the arm 12 is provided an outwardly extending cylindri cal stud 36 closely fittin this slot and so positioned on the arm t at upward pressure on the Wheel 10 transmits its force to the side of the slot in a direction substantially radially of the disk. This feature serves to transmit the force directly to the pivot stud best using the strength of the materials.

The periphery of the disk 25 is turned inwardly forming a flange 40, shown as knurled to provide a suitable gripping surface and having scallops 0r notches 42 at its inner edge adapted to be engaged by a projection 43 on a spring 45 shown as hearing against the face ofthe boss 20 and 100 ing around the ivot stud and secured tig tly against the oss by the shoulder 16 of the screw 15.

The operation of my device is as follows: When it is desired to raise or lower the in take nozzle (1 with relation to the surface operated upon, the disk 25 is rotated by gripping the knurled surface with the hand, which moves the stud 36 toward or away from the center of the disk, swinging the arm 12 downwardly or upwardly with relation to the cleaner frame, thereby slightly tipping the frame about, the axis of the wheels H. The spring 45 with its projection 43, snapping into one of the notches of the flange of the disk, securely prevents it turning and securely holds the wheel 10 in the position given it with relation to the frame. The curve of the groove 35 is such that the grad ual cam surface is presented to the stud 36, and however great the pressure on the wheel 10, there is little or no tendency to turn the disk. The spring offers but com arativcly slight resistance to turning the dis by han While I have shown the arm 12 as a rigid arm supporting frame on the wheel, if is to be understood that a swivel could be introduced into this arm, permitting a caster action with the wheel 10 without from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a member to be supported, a. movable member mounted thereon and having a cam surface, an arm pivoted to the member to be supported, a connection between said arm and said cam surface, and means tending to hold said movable member in any position given it.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a frame to be supported, a rotatable member having a cam surface eX- tending outwardly with relation to its pivot, an arm pivoted adjacent said rotatable member and having a member engaging said surface, a roller carried by the arm and adapted to bear against the floor, and means bearing against and preventing inadvertent rotation of the rotatable member.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a frame to be supported a wheel forming pa rt of the sup ort of sai frame, an arm extending from t s wheel to the frame, a lateral extension on said arm, a rotatable disk havin a curved slot eccentric with relation to its pivot and embracing said extension whereby turning the disk may move the arm to raise or lower the adjacent portion of the frame, said disk having a laterally turned flange, and a spring bearing against said flange to prevent its rotation.

4. The combination of a frame, an arm sup-porting the frame at one point and ivoted thereto, a cam for swinging sai arm about its pivot, and means for latching said cam in any one of a number of positions the wheel acting as a support in all of said positions.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a frame to be supported, an arm pivoted t the frame, a. rotatable member having a cam surface, a member coacting with said surface, one of said members being carried by the arm and the other by the frame, and a spring bearing against and preventing rotation of the rotatable member.

(3. .lhe combination of a frame to be supdcpa rti ng ported, an arm pivoted thereto, a roller carried by the arm, a rotatable member having a cam surface, a member coacting with such surface, one of said members being carried by the frame and the other by the arm, and means for latching said rotatable member in various positions, whereby the frame ma be adjusted to various heights while sti 1 supported on said wheel.

7. The combination with a suction cleaner frame having supporting wheels over which the frame my be tilted, of an adjustable supporting device for holding the frame in vari- 1,201,453 r i a ous positions comprising an arm pivoted to -the frame, a movable member mounted thereon and having a cam surface, a connection between the M111 and said cnni surface, and means tending to hold said member in any position given it.

8. The combination with a suction cleaner frame having a stqiporting wheel over which the 1' nine may he tilted to raise or lower 10 the nozzle, and means for adjusting the the arm and said cam surface, and a yielding 16 member acting against said cam to hold it in any position given it.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

MILTON H. SPIELMAN. 

